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ANAt- w Santa Ana Building Healthy Communities Building Heplft 1505 E 17"St,Suite 117,Santa Ana,CA 92705 communities PHONE: (714)617-8891 1 www.sa-bhc.org July 29, 2022 Mayor Sarmiento and City Councilmembers 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 ecommentkSanta-ana.org Via Email RE: Police Oversight Ordinance Letter of Support Dear Mayor Sarmiento and City Councilmembers, The undersigned organizations write to express our strong support of the model Police Oversight Ordinance, attached in the appendix of this letter. In response to unjustified use of excessive and deadly force against civilians by the Santa Ana Police Department, Santa Ana residents and community-based organizations are advancing the call, originating in 1965, for the City Council to establish robust civilian oversight.' Meaningful civilian oversight can only be enacted through a clear and detailed policy that provides direction for the structure, scope of authority, duties, staffing, funding, access to records, community engagement, and public reporting. It is imperative that the City of Santa Ana establish a comprehensive, effective, and fully funded civilian oversight model with a clearly defined scope and authority to prevent, intervene, and investigate police misconduct and violence. An ineffectual and powerless civilian oversight model will be far more detrimental to the residents of Santa Ana than simply not having any civilian oversight, as it will give the false impression that meaningful accountability and investigation into police misconduct is occurring and potentially stall more effective reform methods. Recognizing the importance of robust civilian oversight and encapsulating feedback from hundreds of Santa Ana residents in the city-led police oversight survey, the City Council Ad Hoc Committee on Police Oversight in April 2022 recommended a hybrid investigation-focused and auditor/monitor focused model. The attached Police Oversight Ordinance effectively accomplishes the Ad Hoc's recommendation. We urge the City Council to pass the community-driven ordinance language, which would establish the robust model of civilian oversight that has 1 San Roman,Gabriel. (2017,June 29). "Black Civil Rights Groups Asked for Santa Ana Police Oversight 52 Years Ago." OC Weekly.hlWs://www.ocweekly.com/demands-for-santa-ana-police-oversight-are-nothing-new-8215041/ 2 Kopetman,Roxana. (2021,August 3). "Santa Ana to Host Virtual Forum on Police Oversight." The Orange County Register.hlWs://www.ocregister.com/2021/08/03/santa-ana-to-host-virtual-forum-on-police-oversight/